Like many others I thought that Yahoo had the smartest media plan among the trio of Google, Microsoft and Yahoo. The media calls Yahoo’s plan of flying under the radar while the other two took all the spotlight heat a smart plan. I like What Yahoo is doing in Web 2.0 space. But I am not too positive with Yahoo’s plans for offering a solid challenge to Google in the Affiliate Advertising Business. It was also kind of dumb on the company’s part to openly acknowledge that Google was better in Search. After that fiasco, comes this.

Google Adsense is the top affiliate programs for online publishers with virtually no challenges from any other programs. Yahoo came in to this lucrative (an understatement actually) business a bit late and with a rider. The Beta version of the Yahoo Publisher Network was open to U.S. Publishers only. Lately many threads at various forums have popped up that few people have been banned from the YPN because of international traffic, which was a breach of their TOS.

The TOS states...

Section 11.l
Abuse of Services. You agree not to:
display all or part of the Ad Unit to any user located outside the US;
What I don’t get is why Yahoo! is hell bent on rubbishing its tag of “smartness”? First, this policy of excluding non-US users is silly. Secondly if had to do it it can do it itself by Geo-Targeting or even displaying Public Service Ads or no ads to non-US users.

Google might not be true today to its motto ” Don`t be evil”. Take the Google China episode for example. But it is way ahead in its key business. It is also way ahead with its unique brand of PR, for example, its refusal to bow down to the U.S. authorities on the search data episode. Google has banned users from its Adsense program but the public has not heard of any thing other than Click-frauds.
Now is the Time for Yahoo to step up, stop trying to be a mere smooth media operator and do some quick brand-loyalty-building exercises.

Anyways discussion continues at...
Digital Point Forums
WebmasterWorld

via Problogger